Uni wins award for energy conservation

14/06/2012

Charles Darwin University has received a Melaleuca Award for Energy Conservation, recognising its commitment to environmental sustainability through reducing energy consumption.

These awards celebrate environmental sustainability achievements in the Territory. The Award for Energy Conservation recognises outstanding initiatives undertaken that have resulted in substantial energy savings.

Director of Facilities Management Steve Teale said CDU was constantly looking for ways to reduce energy consumption through efficiency measures.

“The university has been experiencing significant expansion of its assets, which has challenged its current capacity,” Mr Teale said.

“Since 2009, CDU has seen significant energy reductions as a result of a range of activities including energy management, vehicle fleet management, lighting controls, and Green Office guidelines.

Mr Teale said a key aspect of effective environmental sustainability has been due to the improved utilisation of its Building Management System (BMS) which has allowed CDU to manage energy use across all campuses and to lessen the contribution to global warming.

“This project was focused on showing how reducing energy use, and intelligent use of energy, can lead to substantial cost reductions, and substantial CO2 emission reductions,” he said.

“The BMS has made a huge improvement to energy management and other energy reductions. It has allowed us to successfully renegotiate CDU’s future electricity rates, guaranteeing future reductions, reducing peak loads and demands, demonstrating its commitment as a contributor to public infrastructure sustainability.”

These energy reductions have also enabled CDU to reduce its overall overhead expenditure allowing the savings to be focused on core business, improving its own sustainability.